Want to shoot long range, neep help

[WannaShoot18]

OK i'm getting interested in long range shooting and varmiting and i don't really know where to start. i'm looking at a starter gun that i can turn into a 1000yd match gun. i was looking at the Remington SPS varmint and thought that would be a good starter, but if there is any others i would like to know them as well. i'm on a smaller budget, so i can't spend thousands of dollars at once. also i need to find out what caliber would be the best. i was thinking about the 243 sense alot of guys use other 6mm rounds. any help on this issue would be great. thanks

 

[Bob3700]

There is quite a difference in long range varminting vs long range target shooting,in competition). LR for competition is usually at a fixed distance,1000 yds) with a solid berm behind the target.

The most inexpensive way to begin with 1K target shooting is with a 308. Don't know that you would want to shoot at varmints with that large of a caliber because of the potential for the bullet to skip along after the target. Ranchers don't like holes in their live stock.

So for a starter rifle, it really would be hard to beat a 308.

RGDS

Bob

 

[Average_Joe]

Savage model 12F/TR .308, price around $990

 

[fivering]

Buy a used Savage 110 in 243 or 308,,short action), replace the bbl with a 1 in 8 twist Pac Nor in 6XC, invest in a good variable target scope and you are sitting pretty good for both prairie dogs and Long Range targets!

 

[CatShooter]

You are really talking about two rifles, and the SPS will not do either job very well.

Decide what you want to do the most and then get a rifle to do that and save for the second one.

Everyone that gets an SPS winds up replacing most everything on it, including the stock,first thing to go) and the barrel.


.

 

[Average_Joe]

First thing i did with my sps 700 was replace the stock for a laminate one.

 

[WannaShoot18]

hey thanks for the info guys. i think for the start off i will just go for varmint shooting but i would eventualy like to make the gun shoot shoot 1000yd matches. i think for now i would just like a gun that will shoot 600yd at the most. i was looking at some other gun like savage and tikka, both haveing target rifles that use 243. what do guys think.

 

[OldDoug]

Bought a used Rem 700 BDL 243 Varmint 3 years ago in an HS Precision stock. After truing the action,Not Blueprinted)Roger Ferrell, Fayetteville, GA added a 3 grove PacNor SS fluted Rem Varmint contour barrel with a Vias break. I have shot it for two years at prairie dogs and out to 1000yard steel.,round count at 750) It is in a skimmed new HS Precision Stock.

I just missed a prairie dog west of Laramie last week at over 1000 yards with 15-20mph cross wind. Barrelled Action,243)-$400, Barrel $300, Vias installed $150, Barrel, truing & glass bed-$300, new stock, $250. Marvelous gun for under $1400 and shoots 87 Hornady VMax at 3335fps.

I would only change the 1 in 10" to a 1 in 9".

This gun is devastating on prairie dogs out to 700yards. Wish the wind hadn't been so stong last week.

Rethreaded the 243 take-off,my first-thanks Clemson) as a 243 varmint and put in on a YUGO Mauser. It shoots under 1/2" at 100 yds.

Roger's chamber is perfect. Fired cases have less that .001 runout. The rem cases are trimmed, primer pocket trued, flash hole chamfered, and neck turned on a K&M. Loaded on a Co/Ax press with Redding micrometer Seater. Most are less than .001 runout.

I chose the 6mm because of the longer case neck. I know that the 243 is universally available, but felt that the 6mm would be best in the long run. I believe I made the right decision.

The PacNor 3 grove is super. I have one on my 40X 22-250. Both 6mm and 22-250 are identical. They were broken in correctly and shoot better than I do. They clean up very easily.

For a varmint gun, I would not hesitate to use the Remington 700.

Doug Hollberg, Old Doug

 

[PestShooter]

I would have too agree that the .308 would be the best cal to start with. I would also have to agree that the Remington 700 SPS would not be the best rifle to start with. If you use a Remington 700 SPS just about the only thing that you will use is the action. I built a target rifle off a Remington 700 SPS action and The only original part that was left was the action. I installed a Shilen #8 contour 28" barrel on the action and chambered it for .270 WSM, I know .270 WSM I built a .270 WSM target rifle just to be different. I installed a Hollands over sized firing pin, I installed a Hollands over sized recoil lug and to save $ I did a trigger job on the original trigger. I installed a HS thumb hole stock. I bedded the stock with pro bed 2000 since I had some siting in my work bench that I wanted to use up. I installed an adjustable butt plat on the stock and used skate bord grip tape on the grip of the stock. I installed a picatinny rail and the scope that is on top is temporary until I get the Leupold that I want.

The essence of this rifle was to build a target rifle on a budget and I think that I accomplished that because I only spent just over $2000

 

[people]

If you are going to do a custom job you can get a used 700 online for cheap.

 

[mpryne]

You could always buy a savage varmint now to start shooting and then buy a savage target later..... you wuld have two guns that you could rebarrell yourself if needed and only one manufacturer to deal with and probaly be ahead a few thousand in the process.